Women's Leadership

New York, 19 December, 2024 – Women's representation in political leadership remained critically low in 2024. Only five women were elected as Heads of State out of 31 direct presidential elections held worldwide.

A new report has found that women in Congress are 70 times more likely to be targeted by deepfakes than men, often with sexually explicit images created by AI.

The American Sunlight Project (ASP) found that out of over 35,000 images of politicians, 26 different people have been exposed to non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII).

Out of these, 25 were women. Strikingly, one in six congress women have fallen victim to non-consensual imagery.

The Coordinator, Afikpo North East Development Center, Comrade Ibe Immaculata Nnenna has urged women to encourage/support fellow women in office rather than castigate or seek their downfall.

The female politician spoke at a one-day high level multi-stakeholder’s roundtable on improving women’s political participation in Nigeria.

The event was organised by a Civil Society Organisation, Women Aid Collective, in partnership with UN Women, with support from the Government of Canada.

Beyond the ballot box

The election results reflect broader societal patterns affecting advancement in politics and other spheres. Despite increasing representation in various fields, the path to executive positions remains complex. This reality resonates particularly with established professionals who have navigated similar dynamics throughout their careers.

South Sudan UN Women Country Representative Rukaiya Mohammed has underscored the importance of dialogue in empowering women.

Mohammed expressed the sentiments during the three-day inter-generational dialogue on women’s leadership and political participation from East Africa.

The workshop held in Juba created a platform on breaking barriers for women in leadership.